The thing I really need most is an agent. I've had several people represent me temporarily at various times for a single thing - a convention, a particular venue, a single aspect of my work to someone.... but it's not a permanent thing for anyone yet, and I need it to be. Doing the "legwork" of getting myself jobs, placements, shows, and the like is a right bitch. That's the part of the work that I fail miserably at, and that I really need someone for.
I want to get rid of things I make. I like the website work, a lot. I wouldn't mind having more of it. In fact, I'd love to have more of it. Despite that, I really really really want to get representation in galleries. I want to have shows. I want hangings in bookstores, or cafes, or wherever. I don't much care where my stuff is being shown and sold, as long as it's being shown and sold.
I don't do very good with legwork. I'm not outgoing. I don't have presence, and when I show up someplace to talk to someone about my art and showing my stuff, I either get dismissed, overlooked, shunned or an outright pity party. I'm not georgous or skinny enough for people to look at me and have a first impression other than "disabled artist". I don't have the money to turn myself into a rolling fashionista, and changing peoples first impressions of me is not only not easy, but damn near impossible because I come with stigma.
So I need an agent. Someone who can talk to people. Someone outgoing. Someone with presence, who can hobnob and talk shop with galleries, and be picky for me, and do things like waltz into a gallery with a big canvas covered in paint and get me a deal. Someone who will work hard on commission. Someone who feels strongly about my art or me or preferably both, but I'd settle for one or the other. From what I understand, agents don't have to be local to the gallery they're trying to land. They dont' have to be anywhere particular. So hopefully someone, somewhere, or several someones, somewhere, will finally stumble across my path and become what I need.
So, Santa (why do I keep typing Sanda?) this is what I'd like for Christmas. I've been a good girl. Wont you find a way to drop an agent or ten under my tree this year? Or at the very least make it possible for me to find people who do this professionally so that I can like.. talk to them?
Much love, cookies, and milk.
J
(and the disclaimer -- alas and unfortunately should anyone ever actually volunteer for this - this is not a "pay up front" or "by the hour" or anything like that. It's gotta be commission. That's the only way it would work at all for either of us.)